Is Robbie Farah the 2nd greatest hooker of all-time?

[dogslife]

Alan Tongue was better

 

[madunit]

How many origin's has Farrah won ?

none, but he's lost 1 series less than Smith ;-)

 

[BennyV]

The biggest difference could be seen in the test match last year. When Smith was on the field Australia was a well-oiled machine, he was shouting orders, everyone was where they were meant to be, pressure was off Cronk and Thurston so they could weave their magic, everything was timed to perfection. When Farah was on, the attack lost the polish. Sure, he could probably create an extra option or two out of dummy half, but the team as a whole was less organised and fluent.

Farah is a brilliant hooker who had a huge year last year, and continued that. He is the best hooker NSW have at the moment and the backbone of the tigers. But he is far from the second best of all time.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Toss up between Smith and Walters as the greatest.........then a whole lot of daylight.

 

[the bondi spy]

Nowhere near the 2nd best ever, but is surely in the top 5 best ugly cross eyed hookers of all time

 

[Mr Fourex]

Toss up between Smith and Walters as the greatest.........then a whole lot of daylight.

^^THIS^^

1. Smith
2. S.Walters

3. Buderus
4. Conescu
5. J.Lang

Farrah has a long way to go. One good year doesn't a 2nd greatest of all time make.

 

[Marcus1979]

This is a sarcastic thread right?

Farrah is not even the second best hooker today let alone of all time. :lol:

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Farah is Brilliant, but 2nd best of all time, far from.

Same as smith, yes a brilliant player, but when you have Cronk,Slater and the Numerous other Superstars in that team through out the years, its a lot easier too look a whole lot better than you really are.

 

[typicalfan]

Farah is Brilliant, but 2nd best of all time, far from.

Same as smith, yes a brilliant player, but when you have Cronk,Slater and the Numerous other Superstars in that team through out the years, its a lot easier too look a whole lot better than you really are.

I am sorry but the Cronk, Slater arguments are complete copouts. All you are saying is you don't have the ability to make the judgement call yourself. Smith isn't "made" to look good by Slater and vica versa. Smith controls the game, he controls the ruck, rock solid defender, dependable kicking game, reads the play before it happens and kicks goals to boot. He is also captain of his club, state and country and led all to victory last season. They both benefit from each other in the fact they are champion players but that doesn't change the fact they are champion players! Did Buderus have champion players around him? Did Walters? Did Elias? Maybe the best hooker ever is Matt Keating because he has no one to make him look good!

The question you really need to ask yourself is what do these players bring to the table individually.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

^^THIS^^

1. Smith
2. S.Walters

3. Buderus
4. Conescu
5. J.Lang

Farrah has a long way to go. One good year doesn't a 2nd greatest of all time make.

Truth be told mate, as a Tigers fan I'd say his best years were 2007-2009.
If the selectors had given him a run back then and stuck with him, the SOO series could well have been a very different landscape, despite Qlds brilliance. It would have done Farah the world of good to get a run earlier than he did, Ennis was nothing but an asset to Qld.

 

[woodyk2]

Farah isn't even the 2nd best in the NRL let alone all time.

 

[Slackboy72]

I do, in fact so silly it's embarrassing.

as already mentioned the number 9 role in the days of uncontested scrums should not even be called hooker anymore.

Is Robbie Farah the games 2nd best number 9 currently? yep - without doubt. Great bloke too I am led to believe but is he better than these players?

Steve Walters
Benny Elias
Max Krilich

And older Australian players which I was to young to remember

George Piggins
Noel Kelly
Ian Walsh

Not to mention some great pommy ones as well

edit spelinnngg

Are you forgetting this turncoat?

 

[Big Pete]

I think you have to look at these hookers and the sides that were around them to see what sort of players they've become. Buderus obviously had Johns next to him, Smith has had Cronk and before that Orford/Hill outside him, whereas Farah has spent much of his career, especially since Prince went to the Tits, as both hooker and main playermaker (because Benji is far from an organiser). The benefit of a strong half back outside them has allowed Buderus and Smith to develop as they did, whilst the aspects of Farah's games, the bells and whistles as you put it, have also developed out of necessity. Would've been interesting how Farah developed if Prince stayed at the Tigers tbh.

Not that your criticisms arent valid, I just think its sort of obvious why the respective players games developed as they did.

Hopefully Farah kills it at Origin level this year though.

That's a fair point to a degree but doesn't hold much weight at this point in time. If it was neck and neck, sure, Farah didn't have the luxury of developing alongside an illegal team, but it isn't.

In fact, it's bit of a cop out really.

Yes, Benji isn't on Joey's level but he's better than those hacks Hill and Orford were. I'd even have him on par with Cronk. Not on form of course, but in terms of what they offer.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Truth be told mate, as a Tigers fan I'd say his best years were 2007-2009.
If the selectors had given him a run back then and stuck with him, the SOO series could well have been a very different landscape, despite Qlds brilliance. It would have done Farah the world of good to get a run earlier than he did, Ennis was nothing but an asset to Qld.

Agree 100%, farahs best year for mine was 2007, the tigers were absolute rubbish that year...he completely carried them. Would have been morals for the wooden spoon without him. The game in which we beat Melbourne at Gosford when benji went off after 15minures was one if the best games I've ever seen from an individual. We touched up Melbourne with a halves pairing of John Morris and an 18 year old Chris Lawrence FFs. He completely schooled smith that night.

2012 was probably his second best year.